Commenting on the announcement that PSHE is to be taught in all schools and sex and relationships education (SRE) is to be taught in all secondary schools, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union in the UK, said:

“PSHE and SRE can have a positive role to play in a broad and balanced curriculum for children and young people.

“Today’s proposals make this mandatory in academies and free schools. This is a significant change in the Government’s position and the NASUWT believes this should go beyond PHSE and SRE to incorporate all elements of the curriculum as entitlements for all children.

“The Government has accepted the principle that the NASUWT has long argued in favour of, that all children in all types of schools have an entitlement to a common curriculum.

“At the same time however, ministers are allowing parents to opt out of SRE and PHSE education, undermining its status.

“Parents are not allowed to withdraw their children from any other area of the curriculum so if the Government is serious about advancing its agenda for SRE and PHSE it has to consider very carefully whether parental opt-out rights should be allowed.”